Bobbin-case lock



H. o. FLETCHER BOBBIN CASE LOCK Filed Apri; 1o 1919 I.' `NHillllllllim`williv` Aug. 28, 923.

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WITNESSES:

Patented Jiang. Z8, 1923.

ai". enrich;

HENRY O. FLETCHER, OF. BREDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, rASSIGNOR TO TI-IE SINGEi MANUFCT-URNG COMPANY, A

,BOBBINC/ASE LOCK.

application filed April 1o,

To all wzomz't may concern.' l y Be it knownV that I, HENRY O'.FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States; residing at Bridgeport, in thecounty oi" Fairfield and State oi Connecticut, haveinvented certain newand useful Improvements lin Bobbin- Case Locks, oiiwhich the followingis a speciiication, reference' being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.' i] i This invention relates to av mechanism' for retainingthe 4bobbin( case within the shuttle of a sewing machinefbeing moreparticularly designed for use inl shoe sewing machines `of the (outsoleor rapid stitcher type, although it lis not limited to such use.

it provides a simple mechanism for the purpose which offers nosubstantial obstruction to the passage oi'the needle thread about thebobbin and which may be moved readily to inoperativerpositio'n so thatthe bobbin may be freely removed from the bobbin case.

More particularly this invention provides a retaining arm -plvoted toextensions of the 'i shuttle retainingpplate, and'eonstructed to beswung in Jfront of the bobbin and latched in that position, beingfurther provided with an operating handle ortinger arranged to unlatchVthe arm and swing it away from.'V the bobbin case by a singlecontinuous mo- Y tion.

Other object-sand advantageousdetails of construction will be apparentfrom a more complete` description ot one embodiment Iof theinvention'shown in the accompanyingV drawings in 'which,-

' Fig. 1 is anelevation of a` portion' of a sewing machine suiieient toshow the invention; and

Fig. Qis a top portion.Y y Y i Y Y A represents ak portion of themachineV frame constructed to house a shuttle in proper positionrelative to the usual sewing instrumentalities. As shown the shuttle 1is of rotating type being driven by lugs 2 and 3 of any suitable drivingmechanism. A retaining plate 4 is attached to the forward end of aportion A; ot the frame to retain the shuttle within its raceway, one-Yhalt oi which is Jformed in the portion A, and one-half formed in theretaining plate 41A. Retaining plate` 4 is provided with outstandingbrackets 5 and 6 having aligned jplanlview of the same i919;seriiiiaasasm. Y,

` a'pintle pin 7. V ournaled on the pint-le pin rasate@ f is `therbobbin-retaining arm" 8, which is adaptedto extend across the lfrontface' of thev shuttle, abutment 9 thereon contacting`V with theretaining, plate V4: at th'elopposite side irom'the pintle 7.` Arm Shasa. down-` wardly extending portion 10 havinga guideway 7 11 'thereinadapted tofenga'ge onopposite sides ot'a lug VV12 carried Vbythe bobbincase 13 4which'is shown as 'contained within the shuttle'1 and eccentricthereto. When the arm is in the position shown, extension 10 with the'guideway 11, retains the bobbin case within theshuttle and'prevents'it`from' rotating about itsvown axis, but allows ythe loop 'of needlerthread'to pass therebetween@ At its free end arm 8 is provided withaspring-pressed latch 14 having afhook 15 constructed to engage a lug 16fixed'on the portion A-of the trarne, and to be urged into retainingposition by. means of aspring 17 seated within a suitable housing 18 in8 and bearing at its outer end against the eX tension 19 of thelatch."Adatchfreleasing lever or ingerQO, preferably'jintegral.withlatch 14;, extends outwardly from frame A as shown.k V

' In the operationof this'device, the bobbin taining platea9 theabutment9contacting' therewith,v whereupon the latch member 11i springs` ofitsgown, accord into latching position, riding up theforwardlface of lug16, while the lug- 12 on the bobbin,case which also serves asia threadguide forthe bobbin thread is engaged within thefguidew'ayv11.y When itisV desired to releasethebobbin case thej operator* Vpulls lever or"finger 20 outwardly. This Yserves' to first retract the latch lawfroinengagement with the lug 16 and a further continuous motion exerted onfinger 20 swings the retaining arm 8 about the pintle 7 from in front ofthe bobbin case, which is then free to be removed from the shuttle.While this device as shown is applied to a shuttle of the rotating type,the bobbin beingV placed eccentrically thereof, it is evident that withslight modifications it could also be appliedtoV a revolving' shuttlehaving a concentric bobbin case or to a shuttle of the oscillating type,

lozaV all these openings at the outer ends thereof to receive types ofshuttles being old and Well known.

' engage said' case, a'hook disposed at the free end of .said arm toVhold the'. latter in engaging position, and means carried by 'said armand actuableto irst release said hook and then remove said arm fromengaging position.V

'2. In a sewing machine having sewing instrumentalities including ashuttle and a bobbin casev therein, mechanism for retaining said caseinposition within said shuttle, comprisinga pivoted arm, a latch memberon the free end of said arm andarranged to engage a fixed member toholdsaid arm in retaining position, and means actuable to irst retractvsaidflatch member Vand then toV remove said arinrom retainingposition.Y

3. In a sewingmachine,having sewing instrumentalities including ashuttle and av bobbin case therein, mechanisml for retaining said' casein positionwithin said shuttle, Vcomprising a retaining arm pivoted at ai'ixed point adjacent said shuttle and extending across the face thereofwhen in retaining position, a resilient latch carried at the free end ofsaid arm and constructed to engage a iXed lug to hold said arm inretainin g position and means for releasingl said latch. n

4. n a sewing machine having sewing instrumentalities including ashuttle and a bobbin case therein, mechanism for retaining said case inposition within said shuttle, comprising a vretaining arm pivoted at aiixed point adjacent said shuttle and extending across the tace ,thereofwhen in retaining position', a resilient latch carried at the `free endof said arm. and constructed to'engage aiXedflug to hold said arm inretaining position, and means carried by said arm for releasing saidlatch. A

5.' Ina sewing'machine having sewing instiumentalities including ashuttle and a bobbin case therein, mechanism ioi retaining said case inposition within said shuttle,

comprising a retaining arm pivoted adjacent said shuttle and extendingacross the face thereof when in retaining position, a pivoted latchmember at the 'free end of said arm having a latch lug constructed toengage a iixed part et the machine, a resilient member urging said latchinto latching position, and a releasing lever orretracting said latch.

G. In a sewing, machine having sewing Vinstrumentalities includinga'shuttle and a bobbin casetherein, mechanism for retaining said case inposition within said shuttle, comprising a .retaining arm pivoted toswing so as to extend across the face of said shuttle when in retainingposition, 'and alatch pivoted to said arm on a pivot substantiallyparallel to the pivot of said arm, and provided with a releasing fingerwhereby accontiniioiis movement of said releasing finger willirstrelease said latch and then swing saidarm out of retaining position.

7. ln a sewing machine having sewing instrumentalities including ashuttle, the combination of a shuttle raceway, aV shuttle mounted tomove therein, a plate to retain.

,said shuttle in said raceway, a bobbin case in said shuttle, an armpivoted at one side oi;

said shuttle on said plateand constructedV to be swung across the faceof said bobbin case and to Contact with said plate on the other side ofsaid shuttle, a pivotedylatch at the free end of said arm, and alatch-releasing finger therefor by a continuous motion of which thelatch may be released and they arm swung away from across the face ofsaid bobbin case.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my l name to this specification.

HENRY o. starci-inn..

